School funding, school safety and post-secondary readiness are the top three issues New Braunfels ISD trustees want state lawmakers to address during the 2027 Texas legislative session, following discussion of the district's priorities at its board meeting on Nov. 9.

The specifics: For funding, the committee would like the legislature to increase the basic allotment to meet the needs of running the district, like transportation, utilities, insurance and facility maintenance. The committee also thinks that the basic allotment should account for inflation.

Basic allotment is the base amount of funding that schools receive per student from the state, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.

"All of these costs are taking a huge chunk out of our district budget, but the money is not following that amount that continues to grow for us," Trustee Morgan Renaud said.

Renaud serves on the legislative committee alongside Trustee Megan Stratemann-Willis and Board President Nancy York.

A new liquor store has opened off Hwy. 46 in New Braunfels.

The details: 3 Buzzard'z Liquor Store opened at 8930 Hwy. 46 on Oct. 17.

What they offer: The liquor store sells a wide range of spirits, including vodka, tequila and whiskey. 3 Buzzard'z Liquor also sells beer and wine.

• Opened Oct. 17

Austinites will soon be able to fly directly to Fayetteville, Arkansas beginning in March.

The overview: Delta Air Lines announced the new nonstop destination on Nov. 3. This is the latest domestic expansion for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the first nonstop connection between Central Texas and the state of Arkansas, according to an ABIA news release.

At a glance: Fayetteville, Arkansas is home to The University of Arkansas and is located in the Ozark Mountains. The flight will service passengers daily.

Amid this November's blue wave, Texas voters largely rejected local tax and bond propositions, sometimes shooting down hundreds of millions of dollars in proposed funding as taxpayers and local governments alike feel the strain of inflation.

The big picture: Across Community Impact's coverage areas, residents voted against funding increases for educator salaries, school facilities, homelessness programs, judicial centers and a sports arena.

Austin voters approved a $295 million libraries and parks bond on Nov. 3. Meanwhile, 15 other tax and bond packages across the the Austin, Houston, Bryan-College Station and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas were rejected by voters, previous Community Impact reporting shows.

Quote of note: "This was an affordability election all around," said Shannon Halbrook, who leads fiscal policy research for the progressive think tank Every Texan. "Voters were thinking about the affordability crisis in this election. It explains why they voted for such a dramatic change in state leadership, and I think it explains why voters were also reluctant to approve these [tax rate elections] and bonds, which essentially represent tax increases."